Laura and her husband Dan move from London to the Welsh mountains, where Laura hopes to find inspiration for her art and a reconnecting to the husband she loves, but with whom her relationship is strained due to their inability to have a child. Dan is commuting back to his job in London during the week, so Laura has lots of time alone to get to know the locals, including her handsome neighbor Rhys and the wise woman Anwen. Oh, and she also runs into Merlin (yes, him) a few times.
Running parallel to Laura's modern-day story is the story of Megan at some time in the distant past. Megan grew up in the house that Laura is now living in, but she works as the nanny to the sons of the local lord and lady, each of whom use Megan for their own nasty purposes. When Merlin comes to the area and falls in love with Megan, her employers want his talents for their own.
I enjoyed this story (Wales, Merlin, what's not to like?), but I have to say I enjoyed Megan's story a lot more than I did Laura's. I just didn't find Laura and Dan to be particularly likable characters. But it was definitely a page-turner.
Lamp Black, Wolf Grey
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Sisters of Shiloh
This is a lovely, heartbreaking novel about two sisters, Josephine and Libby, who pretend to be boys and enlist in the Confederate army to avenge the death of Libby's husband Arden. The novel is actually written by two sisters, Kathy and Becky Hepinstall, and they spare the reader from none of the ugliness - or humanity - of a war fought at such close range, between enemies who often weren't sure why they were enemies.
That Josephine and Libby are able to pass for several months as boys is surprising, but that they are able to withstand the hardships they endure - with differing levels of success - is astounding. Although this is a novel of war, it is ultimately a story of the relationship between the sisters, and how their relationship is formed by each of their strengths and weaknesses.
This was an excellent read, and I highly recommend it.
Sisters of Shiloh
That Josephine and Libby are able to pass for several months as boys is surprising, but that they are able to withstand the hardships they endure - with differing levels of success - is astounding. Although this is a novel of war, it is ultimately a story of the relationship between the sisters, and how their relationship is formed by each of their strengths and weaknesses.
This was an excellent read, and I highly recommend it.
Sisters of Shiloh
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